Methods in
Psychological Research (3rd Edition)
Annabel Ness Evans
& Bryan J. Rooney. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2014
415 pages, $101.95
ISBN
978-1-4522-6104-1
Annabel
Evans and Bryan Rooney, both professors at Concordia University College of
Alberta, Department of Psychology, present an introduction to the foundational
concepts of research methods in psychology. In this introductory textbook, the authors
have written a user-friendly and engaging account of core research concepts. Topics are elucidated via a relaxed
conversational style, and the reader is encouraged to apply ideas by linking them
to common every-day scenarios. The
authors promote applicability by incorporating examples of specific research
projects from not only professionals in the field of psychology, but also
student research projects. Thus, they
see students as not only learners of research, but as active and resourceful
participants in the research process itself.
In this way, the often intimidating world of research methods is transformed
into a more accessible framework.
As
the primary goal of this textbook is promoting an engaged understanding of the
research process, the authors have cogently organized the topics to build upon
each other. Encompassing fourteen
chapters in total, the first four explicate the fundamental tenets of research,
including a general introduction, the literature review, ethics, and hypothesis
formulation. Chapters five through
eleven focus on the specifics of methodology, such as the use of psychometric
tests to operationalize and measure variables (including a discussion on
reliability and validity), sample selection, different types of experimental
designs, nonexperimental approaches, and data collection methods. Finally, the textbook concludes with three
chapters delineating the practical application of research methodology in the
discipline of psychology. These topics
include program evaluation, archival research, meta-analytic designs, devising
and implementing research projects, and written communication.
In
addition to the flow of topic organization, each chapter follows a similar
format. Chapters begin with an outline
of objectives, and these are subsequently reviewed in ordered detail. Each chapter is also peppered with a variety
of conceptual exercises to promote proactive learning, and the authors provide answers
to these at the end of the chapters, allowing students to check their ideas
relative to the authors’ ideas. In line
with the collaborative spirit of the book, they advise that differing
conclusions do not necessarily indicate misunderstanding of the material. Additionally, each chapter has practical
features that are not always found in textbooks. Perhaps most distinctly, FAQ sections are
included where the reader will find common questions that the authors have been
asked, and these are answered as they would have been in a classroom setting. Finally, chapters conclude with a list of additional
exercises (this time without answers so that professors may use them as
assignments), potential student projects, and ancillary online learning
resources related to the chapter topic.
Overall,
Evans and Rooney have compiled an accessible yet thorough addition to the area
of research methodology education. It is
a practical option for those interested in attaining an introduction to
research methods, and I readily recommend it to both students and educators
alike.
